On Sunday, 12 October, Kaizer Chiefs achieved a narrow 3-2 victory against Jomo Cosmos in Naturena. Photo: Mondli Dube.
The weekend’s Gauteng Development League (GDL) schedule was relatively subdued with only four matches being played, but they included a key clash between title-chasing Highlands Park and Remember Elite Sport Academy (RESA).
On Saturday, before the start of the standout match of the weekend, Highlands Park, who are pursuing a three-peat, enjoyed a three-point lead over Mamelodi Sundowns at the top of the table. RESA was in third place.
At Balfour Park, Highlands Park stuck a dagger in RESA’s faint hopes of challenging for the title by recording a hard-fought 1-0 victory. With the win, the Lions of the North are in the driving seat and well positioned to claim a third successive GDL title, but the race is not over.
They’re on 74 points, with three matches remaining on their fixture list. Sundowns has four games to go and is four points off the pace. RESA, after the loss, remains on 65 points, in third.
Randburg, who had been in the running a little earlier in the season before falling off the pace, was held to a 1-1 draw by Kathorus Hyper Academy, another team that enjoyed a good run before losing steam.
Wits Junior and TS Galaxy, meanwhile, played to a 2-2 stalemate.
On Sunday, Kaizer Chiefs and Jomo Cosmos delivered one of the most exciting matches seen in the GDL in recent weeks. In their clash at the Kaizer Chiefs Village in Naturena, EzeNkosi challenged the Phefeni Glamour Boys, but Chiefs held on for a narrow 3-2 victory.
After losing to Chippa United in a group stage game, Cape Town City turned the tables on the East London club in the final of the Engen Champ of Champs. Photo: Engen Sports on Facebook.
Cape Town City and the University of Johannesburg (UJ) were crowned the boys’ u18 and women’s u20 Engen Champ of Champs winners on Sunday, at the Tuks Stadium, in Pretoria.
Cape Town City lifted the boys’ title with a comfortable 3-0 win over Chippa United in the gold medal match. It was a reversal of the outcome of an earlier group match, played the previous day, which the East London-based club, Chippa United, won 2-0.
In the final, the narrative changed as The Citizens from the Mother City tasted sweet revenge when it mattered most.
Cape Town City battled their way into the final after a penalty shootout victory over Panorama in the semi-finals. Regulation time in their clash ended goalless, but Panorama faltered from the spot, missing three times in succession while Cape Town City converted their opportunities to advance 3-0.
Chippa United, meanwhile, was given a good workout by Junior Birds, but the Eastern Cape side advanced with a 1-0 semifinal victory.
Joshua Taylor caught the eye and was one of the most talked-about players at the Engen Champs of Champs. He was a driving force for the title-winning Citizens and his crucial role in their success was rewarded with the Midfielder of the Tournament and Player of the Tournament accolades.
Gennaro Johnson, also of Cape Town City, was named the Goalkeeper of the Tournament, while Zazi Qotoyi, who commanded the backline in front of him, received the Defender of the Tournament Award.
The Top Goalscorer accolade was jointly given to the Panorama duo of Kayle Thomas and Thabang Hlaudi, while Hlaudi shared the Striker of the Tournament with Qhamani Gubevu, of Chippa United.
In the u20 women’s competition, the favourites met in the final. UJ booked their place in the title game with a tight 1-0 victory over EastHigh Girls Academy, while Durban Ladies won through to the big game with a 2-1 defeat of Cape Town Roses.
The final was a tight affair, with UJ edging out Durban Ladies 1-0.
Delisile Mbatha, the title-winning coach of UJ, was honoured as the Coach of the Tournament.
Okuhle Sithole, from Durban Ladies, received the accolade of Player of the Tournament. The Top Goal Scorers of the tournament were Siyamthanda Macingwana and Lisakhanyana Situlweni, from Cape Town Roses.
Khwezi Khoza, of Durban Ladies, was named the Striker of the Tournament, while UJ’s Portia Masilela was awarded the Defender of the Tournament. The Goalkeeper of the Tournament title went to Siphokazi Xaba of UJ.
RESULTS
BOYS
Semifinals
Cape Town City (3) 0-0 (0) Panorama
Chippa United 1-0 Junior Birds
Bronze Playoff
Panorama 5-0 Junior Birds
Final
Cape Town City 3-0 Chippa United
GIRLS
Semifinals
Durban Ladies 2-1 Cape Town Roses
UJ 1-0 EastHigh Girls Academy
Chippa United scored a 2-0 victory against Cape Town City on Saturday in a highly anticpated showdown at the Engen Champs of Champs. Photo: Engen Sports
There was excitement for some, disappointment for others on Saturday at the University of Pretoria‘s High Performance Centre, where the Engen Champ of Champs moved ever closer to the gold medal games.
The event features the provincial champion club teams in the u18 boys’ age group and at u20 women’s level. It’s also a stage upon which to unveil the next generation of South African football stars.
On Sunday, the action kicks off with the semifinals in the morning. Later in the day, the finals take place at the Tuks Stadium.
In the boys’ competition, it’s Panorama versus Cape Town City for a place in the final, while Chippa United tackles Junior Birds in the other semifinal fixture.
In the girls’ competition, Durban Ladies take on Cape Town Roses, and the University of Johannesburg (UJ) goes up against EastHigh Girls Academy.
Gauteng champions, Panorama, finished top of group A but were pushed extremely hard on Saturday, which they began with a 1-1 draw against Junior Birds in their first match, followed by a narrow 1-0 victory over EastHigh Boys Academy.
EastHigh Boys Academy, meanwhile, edged out Postmasburg 1-0, while Junior Birds beat Bakgaka United 3-1.
In Group B, the most highly anticipated clash of the day featured Cape Town City and Chippa United, and it was the East London team, Chippa United, which rose to the occasion, claiming a 2-0 victory.
After that setback, Cape Town City rebounded with a 3-0 win over Potch Academy, while Chippa United suffered a bit of a letdown, sharing a scoreless draw with Kusekhaya Football Academy. Kusekhaya, the KwaZulu-Natal champions, also scored a narrow 2-1 victory over Potch Academy.
The KZN champions in the girls’ competition, Durban Ladies, is the only team to have maintained a perfect 100 percent record in the group stages, winning all their matches.
They finished at the top of Group A after overrunning Sisters 6-0 victory on Saturday before grinding out a 1-0 win over Royal Wizards.
After being overpowered by Durban Ladies, Sisters demonstrated strong character to force a 1-1 draw against Ixias Ladies, who subsequently endured 2-4 loss against EastHigh Girls Academy.
Royal Wizards, who finished in second place in Group A, reversed their score against Durban Ladies in their next outing, beating EastHigh Girls Academy by the same margin.
In Group B, UJ and Cape Town Roses both qualified for the semifinals. They also shared an outstanding 2-2 draw.
UJ, then, beat City Lads Ladies 2-1, and City Lads Ladies responded with a 2-1 win over Mafikeng Ladies.
Cape Town Roses drew 1-1 with Mafikeng Ladies, but the Cape Town side had done enough to advance to the semifinals.
RESULTS
Boys’ Competition
Group A
EastHigh Boys Academy 1-0 Postmasburg
Junior Birds 3-1 Bakgaga United
Panorama 1-1 Junior Birds
Panorama 1-0 EastHigh Boys Academy
Group B
Cape Town City 3-0 Potch Academy
Chippa United 0-0 Kusekhaya
Kusekhaya 2-1 Potch Academy
Chippa United 2-0 Cape Town City
Girls’ Competition
Group A
Ixias Ladies 1-1 Sisters
Royal Wizards 1-0 EastHigh Girls Academy
EastHigh Girls Academy 4-2 Ixias Ladies
Durban Ladies 6-0 Sisters
Durban Ladies 1-0 Royal Wizards
Group B
Cape Town Roses 1-1 Mafikeng Ladies
UJ 2-1 City Lads Ladies
City Lads Ladies 2-1 Mafikeng Ladies
UJ 2-2 Cape Town Roses
Cape Town City, one of the tournament’s favourites, kicked off their campaign with a 2-0 win over Kusekhaya Football Academy. Photo: Engen Sports.
The Engen Champs of Champs, being played at the University of Pretoria‘s High Performance Centre (HPC), got off to an entertaining start on Friday, with the Gauteng boys’ and women’s champions, Panorama, and the University of Johannesburg (UJ) catching the eye, while Cape Town Roses also shone in the women’s competition.
In the lead-up to the event, there were some concerns about the performances of Panorama, who had experienced a drop-off in form in the Gauteng Development League (GDL) since their historic 2-1 comeback victory over Kaizer Chiefs in the Engen Knockout Challenge Gauteng.
On Friday, though, Panorama made a winning start to their Champs of Champs campaign. They faced Postmasburg in a Group A clash in their first game and came away with a narrow 2-1 victory. Kayle Thomas and Thabang Hlaudi netted for the Gauteng champions, while Omatle Molema replied for the resilient Northern Cape representatives.
Then, Panorama raised the bar in their second outing, with the Roodepoort-based club scoring a decisive 4-0 victory over the Limpopo champions, Bakgaga United.
In another exciting Group A match, Postmasburg shared a 2-2 draw with the Free State champions, Junior Birds. Katleho Molema struck twice for Postmasburg, while the dynamic duo of Monaheng Ntsalong and Vuyo Tsoeunyane found the back of the net for the Free Staters.
Junior Birds played to another draw, sharing the spoils 1-1 with EastHigh Boys Academy, while the match between Bakgaga United and EastHigh Boys Academy ended goalless.
In Group B of the tournament, one of the favourites, Cape Town City, picked up a 2-0 win. So, too, did Chippa United.
In one of the day’s most anticipated matches, Cape Town City faced Kusekhaya Football Academy, the KwaZulu-Natal representatives. Goals from Nande Witbooi and Siyanda Mangciba secured the points for the Western Cape side.
Chippa United won 2-0 against Potch Academy. The Urban Academy alumni, Qhamani Gubevu, who shone in school football in 2024, but is now playing for Chippa United, was on fire, netting a brace.
On Saturday, day one winners, Cape Town City and Chippa United will meet in a contest that is likely to decide the group winner.
In the girls’ competition, the Gauteng champions, UJ, got off to a flying start, sticking five goals past Mafikeng Ladies without reply. The experience of the UJ players was evident, as most of their team has been actively engaged in competitive football throughout the year, participating in both the Hollywoodbets Super League and the Varsity Women’s Football Cup.
Gugu Dlamini led the scoring for UJ, striking twice, while Lumka Qhekeka, Thato Mofolo, and Nhlakanipho Moyo each contributed a goal.
While the focus was directed towards UJ, another title contender made a statement when Cape Town Roses overwhelmed the Eastern Cape’s champions, City Lads Ladies, 6-0. Emihle Mazana scored a hat-trick, Lisakhanya Situlweni added two goals, and Siyamthanda Macingwana completed the scoring.
In Group A, Durban Ladies, another of the tournament’s top contenders, secured a 3-1 victory over EastHigh Girls Academy.
One of South Africa’s top emerging talents, Durban Ladies’ Khwezi Khoza has already caught the eye in the South African National Development Team and in the Caf African Schools Championship alongside Katleho Malebana, and she netted two goals for the KZN side, while Kusaselihle Shibane also struck.
Later in the day, Durban Ladies made it two out of two with a 3-0 victory over Ixias Ladies.
Royal Wizards also picked up two wins, with Kedisaletse van der Ross to the fore. She grabbed a brace in a 2-0 win over Ixias Ladies, and she was the sole scorer in a tight victory over Sisters.
After going down to Durban Ladies, EastHigh Girls Academy bounced back with a 3-0 win over Sisters, with Angel Ntsila, Nkosingiphile Mthombeni, and Ndimphiwe Ngomane finding the back of the net.
RESULTS
Boys’ Competition
Group A
EastHigh Boys Academy 1-1 Junior Birds
Panorama 2-1 Postmasburg
Bakgaga 0-0 EastHigh Boys Academy
Postmasbug 2-2 Junior Birds
Panorama 4-0 Bakgaga United
Group B
Cape Town City 2-0 Kusekhaya
Chippa United 2-0 Potch Academy
Girls’ Competition
Group A
Royal Wizards 1-0 Sisters
Durban Ladies 3-1 EastHigh Girls Academy
Royal Wizards 2-0 Ixias Ladies
EastHigh Girls Academy 3-0 Sisters
Durban Ladies 3-0 Ixias Ladies
Group B
Cape Town Roses 6-0 City Lads Ladies
UJ 5-0 Mafikeng Ladies
ESCA Wanderers celebrated winning a second basketball title in under a month at the Westville Boys’ High Invitational Schools Stayers’ Basketball Tournament. Photo: Westville Boys’ High on Facebook
Some of South Africa’s most prominent basketball-playing schools offered a glimpse of the future at the recent Westville Boys’ HighInvitational Schools Stayers’ Basketball Tournament (ISSBT).
The lineup included many schools with big titles in their pasts and the present, including, among others, Northwood, Maritzburg College, Kearsney College, and the Elite Sporting and Cultural Academy (ESCA) Wanderers, who ultimately claimed victory in the tournament.
It came down to a showdown between ESCA and Maritzburg College in the final, and there was little to separate the sides. In the end, there were only three points in it, with ESCS claiming a 54-51 victory after fiercely contested title game.
Their title-winning run at Westville was led by Siyabonga Mashaba, who is, undoubtedly, one of the most promising young talents in the game. He and his teammate Alex Price were included in the All-Star Team at Westville, with Mashaba also receiving the Most Valuable Player (MVP) Award. The duo also shone in the final, making key contributions to their side’s victory.
Mashaba was also honoured as the MVP of The King’s School Linbro Park Basketball Tournament. Before that, he had represented South Africa at the Giants of Africa Festival in Rwanda in July, which was followed with his selection for the Basketball Without Borders (BWB) Africa Camp, in August.
All-Star Team, from left to right. Alex Price (MVP – ESCA), Awande Chiliza (Northwood), Pabatso Sithole (Kearsney College), Mpho Ntlakana (Maritzburg College), and Siyabonga Mashaba (ESCA). Photo: Westville Boys’ High on Facebook.
Mpho Ntlakana helped to drive Maritzburg College to the final and his efforts were recognised when he, too, was included in the All-Star Team.
The bronze playoff featured Northwood, a team that has dominated the South African schools’ basketball scene for two consecutive years, which included finishing the 2024/25 season unbeaten and winning the prestigious St John’s College Basketball Tournament in both 2024 and 2025.
Kearsney’s attempt at winning a second title in quick succession came up short against ESCA in the semi-finals, with the Gauteng side scoring a comfortable 55-37 win.
Victory in the bronze playoff went Northwood’s way. They rebounded from their loss to College with a 61-51 victory over Kearsney after an entertaining contest.
Awande Chiliza, from Northwood, was named to the All-Star Team, while Pabatso Sithole, from Kearsney, who regularly tops the scoring charts, was also included.
When Kearsney won the ISSBT on their home court, he dropped 26 points on St John’s College in the final to lead his side to a narrow one-point victory.
Group Results
Group A
Parktown Boys’ High 50-48 Pretoria Boys High
Parktown Boys’ High 47-21 Queen’s College
Pretoria Boys High 52-33 DSK German
Pretoria Boys High 35-20 Queen’s College
DSK German 33-21 Queen’s College
Parktown Boys’ High 64-35 DSK German
Group B
Northwood 60-53 KES
KES 63-55 SACS
Northwood 78-36 Kearsney College
Kearsney College 34-31 SACS
Kearsney College 66-62 KES
Group C
Westville Boys’ High 53-44 DHS
DHS 69-28 The Heritage
Westville Boys’ High 64-44 Isiseko Imara
Westville Boys’ High 66-31 The Heritage
Isiseko Imara 48-31 The Heritage
DHS 71-39 Isiseko Imara
Group D
Maritzburg College 61-23 Jeppe
Jeppe 32-24 Glenwood
ESCA 65-49 Maritzburg College
Maritzburg College 69-14 Glenwood
ESCA 69-42 Glenwood
ESCA 60-43 Jeppe
Classification Playoffs
DSK German 39-29 Glenwood
KES 77-31 The Heritage
Jeppe 42-38 Glenwood
Jeppe 45-27 Queen’s College
Isiseko Imara 58-43 SACS
SACS 69-22 The Heritage
KES 71-26 Isiseko Imara
Quarterfinals
Maritzburg College 66-32 Parktown Boys’ High
Northwood 60-59 DHS
ESCA 40-31 Pretoria Boys High
Kearsney 53-48 Westville Boys’ High
Quartefinal Playoffs
DHS 53-32 Parktown Boys’ High
Westville Boys’ High 47-44 Pretoria Boys High
Semifinals
Mairtzburg College 59-53 Northwood
ESCA 55-37 Kearsney College
Position 15/16 Glenwood 56-44 The Heritage
Position 13/14 SACS 42-41 Queen’s College
Position 11/12 DSK German 35-31 Isiseko Imara
Position 9/10 KES 68-52 Jeppe
Position 7/8 Parktown Boys’ High 33-30 Pretoria Boys High
Position 5/6 DHS 46-44 Westville Boys’ High
Position 3/4, Bronze Playoff Northwood 61-51 Kearsney College
The weekend’s football action in the Gauteng Development League (GDL) features a clash with potential title implications, with Highlands Park hosting Remember Elite Sport Academy (RESA) at Balfour Park.
It’s an important game for both sides. A home victory for the Lions of the North would, at least, see them retain their lead over second-placed Mamelodi Sundowns. At the same time, a win would mean building a bigger advantage over third-placed RESA.
A win for RESA would instil hope for a fairytale outcome. Winning the title would be considered a minor miracle, while finishing second would still be a spectacular achievement for the Vereeniging club.
Highlands Park has a reputation for handling the big moments well, however. Their BMT has been evident in the past two seasons when they went back-to-back as GDL champions. RESA, though, has kept rolling this season and they’re playing very good football of late.
Last weekend, both sides won, with RESA demonstrating strong goal-scoring ability in an impressive 6-0 win over Elspark United Academy. Highlands Park was made to work hard by East Rand Athletic Club, but as they so often do, they came away with all three points on offer after a close 2-1 victory.
Saturday’s showdown is likely to reflect a tactical battle, masterminded by the coaches, Sandile Mathumbo, of RESA, and Sfiso Mnguni, of Highland Park. With the stakes raised, a cracking encounter is on the cards.
SuperSport United, has fallen out of title contention in the latter part of the season. They’ll be eager to regain the winning form they exhibited earlier in the year when they take on Rockefvs at Megawatt Park.
Elspark United, following a heavy loss to RESA will try to reverse their fortunes when they host the University of Pretoria (Tuks) at Elspark Sports Ground.
Seven’s Academy is at home to School of Excellence. Both teams have experienced mixed fortunes this season. The School of Excellence, once one of the standard setters, has fallen off the pace in recent years, and last week they went down 0-2 to Mamelodi Sundowns.
While they didn’t lose last weekend, Seven’s Academy had to settle for only one point after a 2-2 draw against Tuks. With the league nearing its conclusion, accumulating points has become more crucial than ever and Seven’s Academy and the School of Excellence will go at it hammer and tongs at Woodlands International College.
In other matches on Saturday, Randburg hosts Kathorus Hyper Academy, another team whose form has dipped after they went on a good run earlier in the second round of league matches, while Wits Junior tackles TS Galaxy at Marks Park.
Last weekend, TS Galaxy’s game against Kaizer Chiefs was postponed due to safety concerns about the pitch. They’ll be well-rested.
Chiefs, meanwhile, host Jomo Cosmos at the Kaizer Chiefs Village on Sunday, while Joburg City duels with East Rand Athletic Club at the Greek Sporting Club.
FIXTURES
Saturday, 11 October
15:00
Woodlands International College Seven’s Academy vs School of Excellence
Elspark Sports Ground Elspark United vs Tuks
Randburg Sports Complex Randburg vs Kathorus
Megawatt Park SuperSport United vs Rockefvs
Balfour Park Highlands Park vs RESA
Marks Park Wits Junior vs TS Galaxy
Sunday, 12 October
14:00
Kaizer Chiefs Village Kaizer Chiefs vs Jomo Cosmos
Greek Sporting Club Joburg City vs East Rand Athletic Club
Amajita showed strong character at the u20 FIFA World Cup, making it out of the group stage before exiting the competition in the round of 16 after a 1-3 loss to Colombia. Photo: Safa.net.
On Wednesday, Colombia eliminated the South African u20 national team from the u20 FIFA World Cup in Chile in the round of 16, after scoring a 3-1 win over Amajitaat Estadio Fiscal de Talca.
In the early going, Amajita appeared shaky and nervous at the back and struggled to handle aerial duels. Within the first 10 minutes, the u20 Afcon champions fell behind to a goal from Joel Canchimbo.
Before the end of the half, though, South Africa equalised. Siviwe Magidigidi was fouled in the Colombia box, which resulted in a penalty. Mfundo Vilakazi‘s shot was saved by Garcia Bonnet, but the referee ordered a retake and, given another chance, Vilakazi beat the goalkeeper.
While the possession stakes slightly favoured South Africa, Colombia held a narrow advantage in shots and shots on goal. They turned that into a 63rd minute goal from Neiser Villareal. Then, in added time, he struck again, netting the Colombians’ third to put the result beyond doubt.
Amajita’s coach, Raymond Mdaka, in a press statement to the SAFA media team, admitted it was a tough loss to take.
“It’s a hard pill to swallow,” he said, “more so if you have a team that you believe can get results.”
Mdaka said his team had become accustomed to winning and had forgotten how painful it is to lose. However, he said, he and the players recognise that wins and losses are all part of the game.
Participating in the World Cup had, nonetheless, been a valuable learning opportunity for the team and the technical staff, he added.
Reflecting on the game, Mdaka said Amajita struggled to impose themselves and their style of play early in the contest.
“We were caught with the first goal from the blind side,” he admitted. “I think from there we settled. Then we had a number of chances that we missed, and we had a goal through a penalty. However, after conceding the second and third goals, there is not much to say about it. We said to the boys [keep your] heads up, and we will see what will happen going forward.”
Mdaka also expressed his gratitude for the steadfast support received the from South African supporters during Amajita’s journey.
“We really appreciate the support,” he said. “We always got messages on our phones daily to show that the country was behind us, which was something we needed.
“We want the country to know that we would have loved to play in the quarterfinals, but football being football, we could not. But we want to say to them it will come, and if we continue working hard, with the support, we will represent the country well, and I think we did here,” Mdaka concluded.
From left to right, Brighton Mhlongo (Engen Sports Ambassador), Katleho Malebana (Engen Alumni and Mamelodi Sundowns Ladies First Team Player), Rebecca Murudi, Tsholo Tiro (Engen Brand and Sponsorship Manager), Thabo Senong (Engen Sports Ambassador), and Gopolang Taunyana (Engen Alumni and Kaizer Chiefs Youth Development Player). Photo: Engen Sports on Facebook.
The Engen Champ of Champs media draw was conducted live by SuperSport Schools on Tuesday at the University of Pretoria High Performance Centre (HPC).
The tournament, which brings together the men’s and women’s provincial champion teams from across South Africa, takes place at the same venue, from Friday, 10 October, to Sunday, 12 October.
Some notable alumni of the Engen Cup were also in attendance, including 16-year-old Katleho Malebana, who currently plays for the Mamelodi Sundowns Ladies first team. She was joined by Gopolang Taunyana, from the Kaizer Chiefs Youth Development programme, who was part of the u20 African Cup of Nations (Afcon) winning Amajita team earlier this year
Both shared their experiences and memorable moments from their participation in the Engen Champ of Champs.
They were joined by Engen Sports Ambassadors, former Orlando Pirates‘ goalkeeper Brighton Mhlongo and former Amajita coach Thabo Senong.
Before a ball is kicked, one thing is certain, and that is that new national champions will be crowned in both the u18 boys’ and u20 girls’ competitions. Last season’s winners, Kaizer Chiefs and Mamelodi Sundowns, failed to advance from the Gauteng Engen Knockout Challenge.
Despite winning both the Gauteng Engen Knockout Challenge and the Champ of Champs in 2024, the Mamelodi Sundowns ladies’ team missed out on the final of this year’s regional competition, which featured the University of Johannesburg (UJ) versus JVW FC, with UJ winning 1-0 to earn the right to the province at the Engen Champ of Champs.
UJ, after their win in the Gauteng tournament, will be viewed as one of the favourites. They’ve been drawn in Group B, where they will face Cape Town Roses, Mafikeng Ladies, and City Lads Ladies.
City Lads Ladies were crowned champions of the girls’ competition in the Engen Knockout Challenge Eastern Cape, at Dale College in Qonce, at the end of August.
UJ will be without a key player for their title challenge, with Adrielle Mibe, who was named both the Player of the Tournament and the Midfielder of the Tournament during the Engen Knockout Challenge Gauteng, currently playing in the United States, where she represents the University of Arizona. Nonetheless, UJ remains a formidable contender.
Group A is made up of Durban Ladies, Sisters FC, EastHigh Girls Academy, Royal Wizards, and Ixias Ladies.
In the boys’ division, the Gauteng representatives, Panorama, will take on Junior Birds, Postmasburg FC, and Bakgaga United in Group A.
On paper, Panorama appears to be a strong contender to move on to the knockout stages. However, their recent performances in the Gauteng Development League (GDL) have been less than convincing, and last weekend they suffered a 0-1 defeat to Randburg AFC.
While their form has been patchy, it is important to note that tournament football differs from league play, and that may serve the Roodepoort-based club well.
In Group B, Chippa United, the Eastern Cape champions, take on Cape Town City, Potch Academy, the North West winners, and KZN’s champions, the Kusekhaya Football Academy.
GROUPS
Boys’ Competition
Group A
EastHigh Boys Academy, Panorama, Junior Birds, Portsmasburg, Bagkaga United
Group B
Cape Town City, Potchefstroom Academy, Kusekhaya Football Academy, Chippa United
Girls’ Competition
Group A
Royal Wizards, Durban Ladies, EastHigh Girls Academy, Ixias Ladies, Sisters
Group B
City Lads Ladies, University of Johannesburg, Cape Town Roses, Mafikeng Ladies
FIXTURES
Day 1, Friday, 10 October
Boys’ Competition
09:00 – EastHigh Boys Academy vs Junior Birds, Field C
09:00 – Postmasburg vs Panorama, Field F
10:30 – Cape Town City vs Kusekhaya Football Academy, Field A
10:30 – Chippa United vs Potch Academy, Field B
12:00 – Bakgaka United vs EastHigh Boys Academy Field F
12:00 – Postmasburg vs Junior Birds, Field B
13:30 – Opening Ceremony
15:00 – Panorama vs Bagkaka United, Field B
Girls’ Competition
09:00 – Royal Wizards vs Sisters FC, Field A 09:00 EastHigh Girls Academy, vs Durban Ladies, Field B
10:30 – City Lads Ladies vs Cape Town Roses, Field C
10:30 – Mafikeng Ladies vs UJ, Field F
12:00 – Ixias Ladies vs Royal Wizards, Field C
12:00 – EastHigh Girls Academy vs Sisters FC, Field F
13:30 – Opening Ceremony
15:00 – Durban Ladies vs Ixias Ladies, Field A
Day 2, Saturday 11 October
Boys’ Competition
09:00 – Bakgaka United vs Junior Birds, Field A
09:00 – Postmasburg FC vs EastHigh Boys Academy, Field B
10:30 –Potch Academy vs Cape Town City, Field A
10:30 – Kusekhaya Football Academy vs Chippa United, Field B
12:00 – Panorama vs Junior Birds, Field C
12:00 – Postmasburg vs Bakgaka United, Field F
13:30 – Cape Town City vs Chippa United, Field C
13:30 – Kusekhaya Football Academy vs Potch Academy, Field F
15:00 – EastHigh Boys Academy vs Panorama, Field A
Girls’ Competition
09:00 – Ixias Ladies vs Sisters FC, Field C
09:00 – EastHigh Girls Academy vs Royal Wizards, Field F
10:30 – UJ vs City Lads Ladies, Field C
10:30 – Cape Town Roses vs Mafikeng Ladies, Field F
12:00 – Durban Ladies vs Sisters FC, Field A
12:00 – EastHigh Girls Academy vs Ixias Ladies, Field B
13:30 – City Lads Ladies vs Mafikeng Ladies, Field A
13:30 – Cape Town Roses vs UJ, Field B
15:00 –Royal Wizards vs Durban Ladies, Field B
Day 3, Sunday, 12 October
Boys’ Semifinals
08:30 – Match 17, Winner A vs Runner-up B, Field C
08:30 – Match 18, Winner B vs Runner-up A, Field F
Girls’ Semifinals
08:30 – Match 17, Winner A vs Runner-up B, Field A
08:30 – Match 18, Winner B vs Runner-up A, Field B
3rd/4th Playoffs
Boys 10:30 – Match 19, Loser M17 vs Loser Match 18, Field F
Girls
10:30 – Match 19, Loser L17 vs Loser L18, Field C
Finals
Girls
10:30 – Winner 17 vs Winner 18, Tuks Stadium
Boys
11:30 – Winner Match 17 vs Winner Match 18, Tuks Stadium
Wynberg Boys’ High celebrates victory in the final of the Nedbank Grey College Soccer Tournament. Photo: Nedbank Sport on Facebook.
Following four days of captivating football, a new champion was crowned at the Nedbank Grey College Soccer Tournament, with Wynberg Boys’ High hoisting the trophy.
The final was a tactical affair, with neither Wynberg nor Vaal High able to find a way through their opponent’s defences. With the score deadlocked at 0-0 after regulation time, the result depended on a penalty shootout.
The Capetonians, then. kept their cool, slotting three spot kicks to Vaal High’s one to secure the title.
They fell at the final hurdle, but Vaal High had plenty of reasons to feel proud about their performances. They were a late inclusion in Group A but took it in their stride and surprised with an outstanding run all the way through to the title game.
The Vereeniging school stood firm against tough opponents and teams of pedigree, including Glenwood High, St David’s Marist Inanda, Navalsig High, Curro Thatchfield, and Victoria Park High.
They finished second in Group A, behind Navalsig, and from that point onward they kept rolling, picking up victory after victory. Eventually, though, their fairytale run ended in the final.
All credit to Cape Town’s Wynberg. They had to adjust their game to deal with the challenges of playing football on hard pitches at a high altitude and they dealt with that test superbly.
For the previous two years, the title had belonged to St Stithians College and the Johannesburg side came close to pulling off an incredible three-peat, losing out in the semi-finals to Wynberg on penalties. Their final four clash had ended 1-1 before Wynberg advanced 4-2 from the spot.
That left Saints to tackle the hosts, Grey College, in the bronze medal playoff. Grey had also missed out on the final after a penalty shootout. Their game against Vaal High finished 1-1 before Vaal progressed 5-4 on spot kicks.
With medals on the line, Grey College was on their game and dominated, scoring a 3-0 win. It was a fantastic achievement for the hosts, who remain one of the country’s most competitive outfits.
Heading into the tournament, they were crowned the champions of the Magnificent Wednesday Regional Football League in September after a 3-0 win over Hodisa Technical Secondary. Grey College also showcased their talent in the inaugural Curro Halala Cup, where they picked up another bronze medal after a win over Navalsig High.
Victory in the Plate went to Kimberley Boys’ High. They took on Pretoria Boys High in the final, which, once again, was decided only after a penalty shootout. It was 0-0 at the end of regulation time, but Kimberley Boys High triumphed 4-2 from the spot.
Third place in the Plate competition was decided by a showdown between the Gauteng rivals, Parktown Boys’ High and St David’s. In an all too familiar occurence, it was 0-0 before a penalty shootout went Parktown’s way by a 5-4 margin.
Matters were straightforward in the Bowl final, where Bloemfontein South High recorded a comfortable 3-0 win over Strelitzia High.
Glenwood High faced King Edward VII School (KES) for third place in the Bowl, with the Durban school picking up a 2-1 win.
RESULTS
Tuesday, 4 October
23/24 St Andrew’s School 2-0 Witbank
21/22 Victoria Park High 4-0 DHS
19/20 Glenwood 2-1 KES
17/18, Bowl Final Bloemfontein South High 3-0 Strelitzia High
15/16 Curro Thatchifeld 5-1 Empangeni High
13/14 Jeppe (3) 1-1 (2) Brebner High
11/12 Parktown Boys’ High (5) 0-0 (4) St David’s
9/10, Plate Final Kimberley Boys’ High (4) 0-0 (2) Pretoria Boys High
7/8 Norkem Park High (4) 0-0 (3) Westville Boys’ High
5/6 Hodisa Technical High 2-1 Navalasig High
3/4, Bronze Playoff Grey College 3-0 St Stithians College
1/2, Cup Final Wynberg Boys’ High (3) 0-0 (1) Vaal High School
There are four games left in the Gauteng Development League (GDL) season and, at the top of the league standings, Highlands Park, Mamelodi Sundowns, and Remember Elite Sport Academy (RESA) all remain in with a shot at claiming the title.
On Saturday, RESA delivered a scorching 6-0 victory over Elspark United Academy. It was a vital win for the Vereeniging club, which will hold out hope that both Highlands Park and Sundowns drop points in their forthcoming games.
It took until late in the first half of Saturday’s match for RESA to take the lead, with Tshepo Mofaladi striking after an assist from Onthathile Lemao.
In the second half, RESA raised their attacking intensity, and they were richly rewarded with five more goals.
The first arrived after only five minutes, with Kamogelo Mahlaba setting up Banele Radebe to score. Mahlaba provided another assist in the 79th minute, with Samukelo Mthombeni providing the finish, to make it 3-0.
Although he didn’t score, Sechaba Monkhe was instrumental in RESA’s handsome win. He laid on two assists for Bandile Sithole in the last 10 minutes, which lifted RESA into a five-goal lead. Surprise Malatji completed the rout by slotting a penalty.
Mamelodi Sundowns, meanwhile, kept their title challenge on track with a 2-0 win over the struggling School of Excellence, who lie a lowly 14th after 28 matches, having scored only seven wins, drawn five times, and lost 16 games.
The Brazilians bossed Saturday’s match, but they remain three points behind the table-topping Highlands Park, who have 71 points. The Lions of the North grabbed a hard-fought 2-1 win over East Rand Athletic Club.
SuperSport United and Randburg AFC, whose title challenges have fallen away in recent weeks, were involved in low-scoring contests, with SuperSport United sharing a 1-1 draw with Jomo Cosmos, while Randburg picked up three points after a 1-0 defeat of Panorama.
The University of Pretoria (Tuks) drew 2-2 with Seven’s Academy,Wits Junior beat Kathorus Hyper Academy 2-0, and the game between Kaizer Chiefs and TS Galaxy, scheduled to take place at the 3rd Square Stadium in Alexandra, was postponed due to concerns about the safety of the players on the raised pitch.
RESULTS
Saturday, 4 October
Jomo Cosmos 1-1 SuperSport United
Tuks 2-2 Seven’s Academy
RESA 6-0 Elspark United Academy
Highlands Park 2-1 East Rand Athletic
Mamelodi Sundowns 2-0 School of Excellence
Wits Junior 2-0 Kathorus Hyper Academy
The weekend’s football action in the Gauteng Development League (GDL) features a clash with potential title implications, with Highlands Park hosting Remember Elite Sport Academy (RESA) at Balfour Park.
There are four games left in the Gauteng Development League (GDL) season and, at the top of the league standings, Highlands Park, Mamelodi Sundowns, and Remember Elite Sport Academy (RESA) all remain in with a shot at claiming the title.